In current Israeli discourse - which lost its sanity quite a while ago – to label 'Breaking the Silence' "traitors" has become almost self-evident. Trivial. High-profile publicists are making this accusation casually, as a matter of course. Popular radio commentators blurt it with a smile, and the radio station (military, of course) that broadcasts them loudly endorses them.

I don't wish to enter a moral (and highly important) polemic here, about outing such testimonies in times of war, nor discuss the way – problematic, I find – in which they were expressed and distributed internationally. In a world that no doubt laps them up thirstily, with open pleasure.

But there is one small detail, esoteric really, in the equation "'Breaking the Silence' = traitors", which has escaped public discussion - if indeed the repulsive diatribe that broke out here merits the term.  It is the simple fact that in order to be involved in the cases they exposed, those 'traitors', those lowly creatures who stab the nation in its back need to be combatants. Namely: spend three precious years of their lives in rigorous service of their country, in constant physical and emotional danger. Moreover: those repulsive 'Judases' were involved as soldiers in real war inside Gaza. They risked their lives most directly in a military operation that was meant to defend the Israeli home-front.

IT IS MUCH SIMPLER TO KEEP SILENT

And I say, speaking of treason, one could think of less hazardous and rigorous ways. Why not dodge military service, for instance, like many of our patriotic sons? Why not abstain from paying taxes, or extort money from the welfare authorities out of sheer laziness? These are all typically-Israeli actions that do not merit such loud name-calling.

As I said, one might content the way in which those anonymous combatants chose to air their grievances. But it is hard to argue with the fact that these are people who care, unlike the silent Israeli majority – rightists and leftists both, who have simply lost interest in the goings-on here for quite some time. These are combatants untainted with self-hatred, that permanent demagogy, but rather acting in sincere concern for the fate of the country which they truly love. And they are, primarily, brave. I say with from experience.

As one who fought in Gaza in the First Intifada, written a book about it and eventually a play, too, I can say it is much easier to keep silent. Most people around would rather you didn't jolt them with unpleasant stories about problematic army conduct. And they respond accordingly. After all, a huge part of the rage unleashed against 'Breaking the Silence' stems from the embarrassment that their discourse has been causing all of us. From the unsettling suspicion that it is founded. Thus, as far as I'm concerned, 'Breaking the Silence' are heroes. Even if tragic ones.

Kobi Arieli, whom I still like although he declared that he detests my kind of people, talked on his radio program about a fellow named Hizki, who as a boy would beat traitors to a pulp, and wished for Hizki to appear right now and take care of the guys who break the silence.

Well, my dear Kobi, in case of a future confrontation, I bet your Hizki will turn around and speed away to the nearest restaurant. After all, the traitors he now has to 'take care of' are sturdy, brave combatants who underwent the hardships of infantry training, while Hizki himself, considering your shared background, is a slack Yeshiva-boy whose latest armed confrontation with an enemy took place at his Friday night dinner table. And may the State of Israel be praised.

Translated from http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART1/922/906.html